Electro-magnetic carbon pile regulators



Sept. 29, 1959 1.. R. NIXON ETAL 2,906,982

ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CARBON PILE REGULATORS Or iginal Filed Dec. 22. 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 29, 1959 ori inal Filed Dec. 22; 1953 L. R. NIXON ETAL ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CARBON PILEI REGULATORS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joy/mm? L. R. NIXON ETAL ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CARBON FILE REGULATORS Original Filed Dec. 22. 1953 Sept. 29,1959

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 52:15 R56 INA L0 xV/XOA/ DECEA S50,

mm M400 lwxcw, Excl/m /x ANDREW STAMBERQEK y jmmm 1- United States Patent ELECTRO-MAGNETIC CARBON PILE REGULATORS Leslie Reginald Nixon, deceased, late of Catford, London,

England, by Edith Maud Nixon, executrix, Middletonon-Sea, and Andrew Stamberger, Brockley, London, England, assignors to J. Stone & Company (Deptford) Limited, London, England Original application Serial No. 399,794, December 22, 1953. This application December 18, 1956, Serial No. 629,438

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 31, 1952 '5 Claims. (Cl. 338106) This application has been divided from and is a continuation of application Serial No. 399,794, filed on December 22, 1953, now Patent No. 2,828,395.

The invention concerns improvements relating to electromagnetic carbon-pile regulators having the magnet system, carbon pile and pile-comprising mechanism totally enclosed. Such enclosure can be made to achieve substantial advantages, but there are problems to be overcome in applying the principle to everyday practical use. It is an object of the invention to overcome problems which arise from the difficulty of meeting the magnetic and mechanical requirements of the regulator within the space available in a compact enclosure.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be more fully described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a carbon-pile regulator with an enclosing can removed and with the pile shown in axial section.

Figure 2 is an axial section, on the line llll in Figure 4, through the pile-compressing mechanism,

Figure 3 is a plan view to a smaller scale and intended only to indicate the relative positions of the main components,

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line IV-IV in Figure 1, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a bimetal device.

The embodiment illustrated has been devised more particularly for use as a voltage regulator on aircraft and for other cases where reliable high performance is required in conjunction with compactness. The features to be described may, however, be employed with advantage in regulators for other purposes.

In the regulator illustrated, the magnet system and the pile-compressing mechanism are enclosed in a cylindrical can 1 (shown by a chain line in Figure 1) having the end 2 or both ends 2, 3 domed and made, for example, of magnetic martensitic stainless steel. The pile 4, composed of small diameter discs 5, guided in a ceramic sheath 6, is enclosed in a metal tube 7 shrunk upon the sheath 6 and located co-axially with the can 1. To minimise heat conduction between the pile 4 and magnet system in the can 1, the metal tube 7 is extended towards the can by a part of considerably reduced annular cross section (for example reduced to about one eighth or even less) and made for example of poorly conducting austenitic stainless steel. As illustrated, this part is a co-axial tube 8 soldered into the tube 7 and into an inturned, central, funnel-shaped portion 9 (Figure 2) of the adjacent cover 2 of the can. The cover 2 is separate from the body of the can 1 and is soldered into it by means of a flange lil. A domed shape of the covers 2, 3 not only stiftens them against deflection due to any pressure difference between the inside and outside of the can 1,

but, as regards the cover 2, also further lengthens the path for heat conduction between the pile 4 and the body of the can.

The outer end of the tube 7 is tightly closed by a terminal seal 15 forming a fixed abutment for the pile 4, the seal being covered by a protective cap 11. The can 1 and tubes 7, 8 thus form a completely sealed container the whole of which is filled with an inert atmosphere. This is preferably a gas or a gas mixture with a high viscosity and thermal conductivity. A suitable gas is helium.

The above-described arrangement forms the subject of the aforesaid application No. 399,794.

To avoid danger of local overheating with consequent risk of fire, especially on aircraft, the maximum temperature rise anywhere on the outside of the regulator should be as low as possible. A robust jacket with fins 12 and a core 14 sufiiciently thick to obtain as low a temperature rise as possible is therefore employed. Preferably, it is pressure die-cast around the tube 7 enclosing the pile 4, thus ensuring uniform high thermal conductivity between the tube and jacket and also rendering machining of mating surfaces unnecessary.

The fixed abutment 15 at the sealed outer end of the tube 7, that is the fixed end of the pile 4, is connected to the fixed magnet structure and is located in relation to the whole magnet system by way of the outer-end fin 16 of the jacket and a number of spaced tie rods 17 extending with clearance through holes 18 in the other fins 12 and passing by way of sealed connections 19 with the cover 2 into the interior of the can 1 where they are connected to lugs 2t) on an end part 21 of the fixed structure supporting the magnet system hereinafter described. The tie rods 17 form a rigid connection between the several parts and avoid the possibility of lost motion in the pile-compressing mechanism when the pile 4 is compressed. The rods 17 may be made of a metal with a coefficient of expansion suitable for ensuring temperature compensation for relative thermal expansion of the carbon pile 4. In this case, the domed shape of the cover 2 also assists in minimising stresses caused by difference in thermal expansion between the rods 17 and the tubes 7, 8. The end fin 16 is made of dished shape, with the concavity outwards, in order to increase its rigidity and also to afford protection to the seal at the outer end of the tube 7.

Necessary readjustment for eventual change in the length of the pile 4 may be permitted without unsealing the regulator by providing for external adjustment of the relative positions of the magnet system and abutment 15, that is the fixed end of the pile. This may be done by providing adjustable screw connections between the tie rods 17 and the end fin 16. Preferably and as illustrated for the lower rod 17 in Figure 1, however, one or each of the tie rods is composed of two stud portions 17 17 screwed with threads of different pitch into a sleeve nut portion 17 Turning of the nut portion 17 will thus adjust the effective length of the tie rod. The adjusted position can be locked by means of lock nuts 17*. In this case, not only the inner end of the stud is fixed, namely in the lug 2%, but also the outer end in the fin 16, as by a key 2.3. The above-described adjustment means forms the subject of our co-pending patent application No. 34,441/55.

The pile is arranged to be compressed through a strut 24 with pointed ends 25 (Figure l) and 26 (Figure 2) acting between cups 27, 28 at least one of which may be made of insulating material, such as glass or synthetic sapphire. The cup 27 adjacent to the pile 4 is enclosed in a conducting ferrule 29 carrying the movable collector, which comprises a carbon plug 30 at the adjacent end of the pile. The other cup 28 is mounted by means of a i 3 holderi31 in.a flangedplate 32, which is .connectediby a pivot 33 to the upper end 34 of a clapper structure constituting the movable element of-the magnet system. The

platerr32 andithe cup. 23 carriedgbyxit are urgedrtowardswfi thesstrutr24 byea helicalsconipressioni spring 35r-abutting;

against a part 35' of the clapper structureand locatedu approximately IUPOH the prolonged :axis of the pilezi4.

Therferrule: 29ris extended,-a:out1of.:contact .with the strutz24, into. the-interior-iofithe cantl wheretit has a flange 36; (Figure ,2) 'engaged;by;-a coaxial helical cornpressionrspring 37-.of relatively' large diameter made fromxstrip;vvound,:on;edge ;and abuttedthrough a hatshapedinsulating .washerfi fagainst the inside of the funnel-shaped portion 9 of the cover 2. Thespring 37 1 serves to steadysthe ferrule; 29;'and'also .to cause the said ferrule and the pile. collector to1follow the strut 24:11nder-conditions in which the ,pile reaction, is low.-

It mayeonveniently alsobe usedito make electrical 0011 nectionbetween a stationary .conductor .39;and the ferrule 29,:foriwhich purpose it is preferably-made of a good electrical conductor, such as .copper.

Thepart of theclapper structure is fixed by..a screw 401m the main L-shaped part 41 :of thiststructure carry ing. thearmature 42.1 2 The clapper structure is mounted upon a part 44 (Figure 1), formed on or fixedto the part 21 of the fixed structure, by meansiof'pairs of crossed L leaf springs 55,46; The axis 47 of rocking of the clapper so determined is located very close to the prolonged axis of thepile 4 and the arrangement is such.(Figure 2) that the strut 24 andthe virtual lever arm (between .47

and point of 26) by which the clapperacts on the Saldlfl strut closely approaches a dead-centrecondition when. the pile is compressed, so as to balance the increasing pile reaction. the. movable collector 30,1:the rocking movement of the strut 24 which occurs upon movement of theclapper.

In order to minimise sideways thrust. on.

structure is arranged to be initially, for-a slight clapperv movement, towards alignment with thepile 4 and-then.

away from alignment (Figures 2 and 4 show the mechanism in the position of rest, i.e. with the armature unattracted and the-pile compressed).

The main spring of the regulator comprises :a helicaltension spring 49, or-a plurality of such springs, disposed substantially parallel to the prolonged axis ofthe pile 4, but near the cylindrical wallof the can 1. The fixed anchorage 50 for the-spring can-be set and adjustedb'y means of a nut 51 on a screw52 mounted in a cross piece 53 "secured to the fixed-structure; The movable anchorage 54 of the spring, which acts upon the clapper structure through a bimetal'device hereinafterdescribed, may be arranged, as shown, so that the virtual lever arm with which it acts abou-t'the axis 47 decreases with extensionof the spring 49. This arrangement reduces the necessity forusing' a springwith a low rate, which would be difiicult-to accommodate, andalso permits of the use of a longerspring.

The magnet-itself is a horseshoe magnet-55 disposed transversely of the canwithpfor the sake of explanation, the poles 55" projecting downwardly. The'magnet, carrying its winding-56 on'its two limbs,-is clampedto two upper and two lowerclaw-like parts, 57 and 58 respectively, which extend lengthwise of-the can 1 from the end part-21' of the fixed structures The magnet is so clamped by studs 57, 5S 'passing through an end frame 59' herein- 1 afterreferred to. Thearmature 42 has, due to the abovedescribed-relative-- disposition of the parts, an oblique approach to-the poles 55. The armature and/or the poles may beappropriately profiled in perse known manmen in order .to obtain a required magnet characteristic.

For the connection-to the bimetal device and for the mounting 10f the pivot- 33, the: clapper structure extendsbeyond-the axis 47, that is upwardly, to a pointnear the.

main spring 4% The bimetaldeVice is intended, by varyinguthe effective action of the spring, to efiect compensation-forlchange ot resistance of the magnet winding due to temperaturevariation. One suitable constructionof such device comprises two pairs, of bimetal hairpin strips, 60 and 61 respectively (Figure 5). The first pair of strips 60 is connected at its ends 66 by screws 60 to the upper end 34 of the clapper ipart- 41-and at the other ends 60 by screws..60t .to..theiadjacenttends ,,61 of theistrips "61. The other'end's"61?- 0f the tlatter are 'connected' to a cross piece 54 constituting the movable anchorage for the spring. 49:2:Tht higher-expansion sides of theibirnetal s-l strips60,.ifi1.are'thelouter. sides of the hairpin-shapes in. bothcases. 'Withincrease in thetemperature, :deter mined 'mainly bythe" temperature of the winding 56} the bimetal strips 60 will deflect so as to reduce the'ten Si011 in the-spring 49,3while the strips l willdefiect to reduce the length, of the virtual; lever arm with 'whichithe' spring acts and thus to reduce the effective rate .ofthe spring. In this arrangement, in any position of the armature 42, the'strips GO'efiect compensation for 'the'reduction in the magnet torque,'resultant upon the decrease in current due to the inoreasedresistance.of the winding 56 at the increased temperature, while the strips 61 effect compensation for the-reduction in the rateof change of magnet torque-with armature travel which also results fromthereduction in current; The compensationthus to be provided -will naturally depend upon the characteristics of the magnet-system. By this means, for example, regulation for constant voltage --canbe obtained'm which is substantially unaffected by temperature varia tion in the magnet -Winding- 56. 1 The above-described bimetal device formsthe subjectof co-p'ending patent application No. 629,135, filed December 18, 1956.

The bimetal device described; or a simpler form of such device, for compensating for the effect of heatingdue to the current in-the winding 56 and/or-due --to ambient-temperature variation, may be arrangedto be influenced by anauxiliaryheater whose temperature rise is caused in known mannerto be proportional to that of the winding. This heater may be housed, for example,-

in a bore in the clapper 41. A suitable position for this' bore is indicated at 41 in Figure 2. By this means,

the heating of the device canbe well matched to the heat ing of thewinding. resistance with a negative temperature co-efficien-t may be" employed connected in series with the finding- 563* Close contact between this resistance and the winding may be obtained by windingthe former into thelatter or arranging it closely thereto on the inside or outside: This resistance may be shunted by a fixed'resistancein order to -modify the compensation effect in required fashion.

In the illustrated inoperative condition of the regu lator, the clapper 41 is held against a stop 65 (Figure 2) i by the spring 49, the*pile'4 being maintained-under compression by the auxiliary spring 35 bearingon the plate 32. As shown in Figure 2, the stop 65' is adjustably mounted on theend of the lower tie rod 17; For coupling the plate 32 to the clapper when the arms.

ture 42 is attracted, the clapper part 35' is provided? with a pin 66 engageable'with the remote side of the end of the-plate 32; In the aforesaid inoperative con-'1" dition, there is a slight lost-motion gap between the pin 66 (Figure 2) and plate 32 and as long as this. gap. exists, the minimum resistance of the compressed'pile 4- will be practically unaffected by pile shrinkage. When the armature 42 is attracted, the lost motion is first taken up and then the plate 32 and the parts 31, 28

Alternatively or in addition, -a

tion 68 is fixed on the outside of the end frame 59. In order to obtain as compact an arrangement as possible, the dashpot 67 and the frame 59 are inclined in relation to the axis of the can (Figure l), the axis of the dash- .pot extending towards the end of the clapper 41 remote from the armature 42. Bars 70 on the pot portion 71 of the dashpot are adjustably connected to rods 72 which straddle the magnet and are themselves connected to the ends of a stifl cross bar 73 flexibly connected to the clapper 41 by three crossed springs 74, 75 (Figure 2). the spring 74 being connected to the middle of the bar with one spring 75 on each side.

Counter-balance Weights 76 are supported from the clapper 41 by arms 77 secured to parts 78 extending laterally from the said clapper. These weights serve to balance the clapper structure and armature in relation to the axis 47.

The magnet core may be composed of grain-oriented Wound strip, for example as described in the specification of our application Serial No. 367,620.

The whole regulator may be suspended upon a base (not shown) by means of an anti-vibration mounting, one flexible support, say in the form of a spring system, being provided at each end of the regulator approximately concentrically with the axis of the can 1.

9 Such construction and arrangement permits of good advantage being taken in practical operation of the following benefits of sealing in an inert atmosphere: Firstly, the pile 4 can be run at a relatively high temperature, so that carbon elements 5 of small cross-sectional area can be used, which redues the work required to be exerted upon the pile for a given range of resistance variation. For, although the minimrun resistance for a given compressive force is substantially independent of the area, the maximum resistance obtainable increases as the area is reduced, because the effects of friction and sensitivity to vibration are reduced. Secondly, with a sealed regulator, the damping afiorded by the dashpot 67 is unaifected by atmospheric-pressure variation and, therefore, by altitude. Also the inert gas used may be one of suitable viscosity for the dashpot. Further, by using a gas of high thermal conductivity, the temperature gradients between the pile 4 and the tube 7 and between the winding 56 and the bi-metal strip device 60, 61 can be reduced. Finally, with enclosure in an inert gas, both the electrical insulation and the flexible material ofthe dashpot will tolerate a higher working temperature. In addition, the sealed enclosure aifords proofing against climatic conditions without further special provision.

We claim:

1. An electromagnetic carbon-pile regulator, comprising a magnet system having a magnet and a rocking annature, a carbon pile and pile compressing mechanism through which the said armature acts upon the pile, the said mechanism comprising a movable abutment for the said pile, a ferrule carrying the said abutment and a coaxial helical compression spring, constituted of a strip wound on edge, supporting and steadying the said ferrule.

2. An electromagnetic carbon-pile regulator, comprising a magnet system with a magnet and a rocking armature, a carbon pile and pile-compressing mechanism through which the said armature acts upon the pile, the said mechanism comprising a movable abutment for the pile, a strut acting between the said armature and the said abutment, and a co-axial spring which is positioned to guide the said abutment and to cause it to follow the strut when the pile reaction is low.

3. A regulator according to claim 2, wherein the spring serves also to establish electrical connection with the movable pile abutment.

4. An electromagnetic carbon-pile regulator, comprising a magnet system having a magnet and a rocking armature, a carbon pile and pile-compressing mechanism through which the said armature acts upon the pile, said mechanism comprising a main control spring positioned to act upon the armature with a lever arm the virtual length of which decreases as the armature is attracted.

5. An electromagnetic carbon-pile regulator, comprising a magnet system having a magnet and a rocking armature, a carbon pile and pile-compressing mechanism through which the said armature acts upon said pile, said pile-compressing mechanism comprising a thrust member bearing against the pile, an abutment for the thrust member pivotally mounted in relation to said armature and engageable with a slight initial lost motion by the armature when attracted, and a spring disposed between the abutment and the armature and acting in the direction for urging said abutment against said thrust member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Musso Jan. 1, 1952 

